The present invention relates to saw blades and, more particularly, to saw blades for use with power tools.
Saw blades, such as reciprocating saw blades, are used for cutting wood, metal, plastics, and other materials. A saw blade typically includes a body, one or more attachment portions, and a cutting portion. The cutting portion comprises a plurality of teeth made up of one or more tooth forms. Tooth forms on saw blades are a major factor in the durability, cost, speed of cutting, and accuracy and quality of cuts made. Each tooth typically includes a tip, a relief face, a rake face, and a gullet. The teeth are generally separated by a pitch length (otherwise identified as the number of teeth per inch (TPI)). Some tooth forms vary along the length of the saw blade or include portions having varied teeth. In some tooth forms, a nail may become lodged in the gullet of a tooth during operation, thereby breaking or otherwise damaging the tooth.
In many instances, the operator of a reciprocating saw uses the saw and attached saw blade to initiate and make cuts in construction material starting at an edge, or periphery, of the construction material. During such cuts, the cutting portion and the plurality of teeth associated therewith are the first part of the saw blade to contact the material. In other instances, the operator of the reciprocating saw uses the saw and attached saw blade to initiate a cut in a face of the construction material (i.e., away from the edge, or periphery, of the construction material). This type of cut is typically referred to as a plunge cut. During a plunge cut, a leading tooth located proximate the end of the saw blade penetrates the material face first. Therefore, the end geometry and the leading tooth geometry of the saw blade are significant to performance during plunge cutting and may affect the durability of the saw blade, the speed with which the plunge cut is executed, and the accuracy of the cut.